Should search engines be able to preferentially promote their own services in their search results?

Nearly 3 in 4 people think that search engines should not be able to preferentially promote their own services.

vote

All (1226)

no, results should be objective

74.1% (+3.1 / -3.4)

yes, it is their search results

25.9% (+3.4 / -3.1)

There was essentially no split between men & women.

vote

Men (827)

Women (399)

no, results should be objective

73.7% (+3.1 / -3.4)

74.4% (+5.2 / -6.0)

yes, it is their search results

26.3% (+3.4 / -3.1)

25.6% (+6.0 / -5.2)

Older people tend to prefer/want more editorial objectivity, whereas younger people are more fine with search engines preferentially promoting their own services. Older people tend to be more fixed in their ways & younger people are much less so.

vote

18-24 year-olds (338)

25-34 year-olds (269)

35-44 year-olds (158)

45-54 year-olds (209)

55-64 year-olds (169)

65+ year-olds (83)

no, results should be objective

65.0% (+4.9 / -5.2)

76.0% (+5.1 / -6.0)

74.0% (+6.5 / -7.7)

71.2% (+5.7 / -6.5)

71.4% (+6.5 / -7.5)

87.2% (+6.1 / -10.4)

yes, it is their search results

35.0% (+5.2 / -4.9)

24.0% (+6.0 / -5.1)

26.0% (+7.7 / -6.5)

28.8% (+6.5 / -5.7)

28.6% (+7.5 / -6.5)

12.8% (+10.4 / -6.1)

Geographically, people in the south & midwest tend to be slightly more trusting, perhaps due to the lower cost of living & less competitive markets. However, any differences here are fairly minor & are within the margin of error.

vote

The US Midwest (244)

The US Northeast (367)

The US South (352)

The US West (263)

no, results should be objective

72.2% (+6.4 / -7.4)

77.7% (+4.5 / -5.3)

72.1% (+6.0 / -6.9)

75.9% (+5.7 / -6.9)

yes, it is their search results

27.8% (+7.4 / -6.4)

22.3% (+5.3 / -4.5)

27.9% (+6.9 / -6.0)

24.1% (+6.9 / -5.7)

People who are rural tend to be slightly more accepting of Google doing as it wishes, though this is also a small sample size & well within the margin of error.

vote

Urban areas (647)

Rural areas (106)

Suburban areas (453)

no, results should be objective

74.3% (+4.3 / -4.9)

71.9% (+8.5 / -10.5)

74.4% (+4.2 / -4.7)

yes, it is their search results

25.7% (+4.9 / -4.3)

28.1% (+10.5 / -8.5)

25.6% (+4.7 / -4.2)

There isn’t a strong correlation with income on this issue either. People cared a bit more at higher income levels, but there was also a wider margin of error due to small sampling size.